OK, it is that time of year. I can’t get away from the tradition. I can’t avoid the temptation. I mean, come on now. What I am talking about is optimism, hope for the future and all that jazz. Surely you have seen the motivational poster entitled “The Essence of a New Day.” What I am talking about is setting New Year’s Resolutions!

Let it be known here that I am the absolute best at setting New Year’s Resolutions. Unfortunately, it would also be pretty accurate to say that I have usually broken most of mine by somewhere around Jan. 3, or maybe even the 5th on a good year.

It is as simple as this. After about three days, that leftover plate of peanut butter fudge that is lying around the house starts to look a lot more appealing than the elliptical machine does. By the way, have you ever noticed how handy treadmills and elliptical machines are for hanging up clothes to dry? I know many of you are smiling at that one as you look over and see your pants hanging from the treadmill.

Anyway, that is enough of the negative. I always operate from the positive, so let me get on with my New Year’s Resolutions for the year of 2013.

I hereby resolve to do the following for the New Year. (Or at least a few good days in January.) By the way, I am serious about this stuff, so feel free to hold me accountable and encourage me when you see me on the street. Now for the list, from the serious to the not so much.

1. Allow Christ to live through me.

2. Do a daily Bible study or devotion for all 365 days.

3. Contact all of my deacon families weekly.

4. Read a book a week.

5. Work out at least an hour a day.

6. Lose weight. Go from my current weight of 238 to under 200.

7. Continue my Golfing For A Cure Tour. Progress to where I have covered at least 25 Kentucky counties.

8. Work tirelessly to serve the people of District 1 as Magistrate and all Trigg County citizens for that matter.

9. Find a permanent place in Trigg County High School Gym to display the Hall of fame plaques.

13. Get permission from Penny and Dorris to let Mike McGill and I back in the canoe.

14. Assuming number 11 is granted, canoe from Hoptown to Cadiz in one continuous trip.

15. Kill my first deer so I can join all the other 4-year-olds who are in the paper each year with the first deer they have taken.

16. Finish – and I mean FINISH – my first book, Keys to the Gym.

17. Reread my collection of the old Chip Hilton Sports series and consider writing a series of children’s sports books based on local characters.

18. Contact every former cross country runner that ran for me and thank them.

19. Ditto with all former basketball players.

Last but not least ... life is short, so these last two sound general but actually they are very specific ...

20. Cherish every moment and

21. Value every encounter.

Hey, I hope this causes you to sit down and reflect on a few resolutions, and I hope we can all stick to them. If you see me walking down Main Street in the next few days, be sure and honk your horn and give me a big thumbs up. You might want to make sure you honk at me the first few days of January or else ... well, you know.

Enthusiasm Makes the Difference

Mike Wright is the head coach of boys basketball and cross country at Trigg County High School. Emails concerning Coach’s Corner can be sent to jmcgill@cadizrecord.com.